Experiences

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Travel Advice

Update: 07 May 2020

All travel is still highly restricted but there are signs that Australia’s ‘flattening of the curve’ may see some restrictions lifted. We anticipate that travel within your home state may soon be possible, followed by interstate travel and potentially international travel between Australia and New Zealand only. To make sure you're one of the first to know what's on offer when the time comes, complete the form on our Contact Us page and tick the box to ‘Subscribe to our newsletter’. We look forward to helping you fulfil your future travel dreams!

Update: 03 April 2020

The Government’s total travel ban is still in place however limited commercial flight options are available to and from Australia. Returning citizens are required to undergo the Australian Government’s mandatory 14-day quarantine period at their first entry point into Australia before being able to return home or undertake further domestic travel to their home state. Some states require returning travellers to undergo a further 14-day mandatory quarantine period after domestic travel has been completed, with the result that some international travellers are required to quarantine for a total of 28 days.

Update: 25 March 2020

The Australian Government has now issued a total travel ban effective midday AEDT today. Exceptions may be made if the travel is deemed essential, in the national interest or on humanitarian or compassionate grounds, with the Australian Border Force determining whether people are eligible to travel.

Update: 23 March 2020

In addition to the Australian Government’s Level 4 travel advice for all countries: ‘do not travel overseas at this time’, various Australian states and territories have announced domestic travel restrictions with immediate or imminent effect. Commercial airlines are also cancelling or reducing services. If you are due to travel in the coming few months, we urge you to contact us for assistance if you have not already done so. If your travel is beyond June, please allow us to assist other customers first and rest assured we will contact you very soon. We request that you follow Government advice and do not visit our agency but rather contact us by phone or email.

Update: 18 March 2020

The Australian Government increased the travel advice to the highest level (Level 4) for all countries: ‘do not travel overseas at this time’. The Government recommends that if you are overseas and wish to return to Australia, to do so as soon as possible by commercial means. We urge our customers to contact us for assistance if you have not already done so.

Update: 16 March 2020

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Australian Government is advising all Australians to reconsider their need for overseas travel at this time regardless of your destination, age or health.

If you’re travelling or returning to Australia, you'll now be required to self-isolate (guidance for international travellers available here) for 14 days. This applies to all travellers, including Australian citizens. If you need to transit domestically, you may complete this transit and then begin your precautionary 14-day self-isolation period. If you have a layover, you must remain in the airport or self-isolate in your accommodation for the transit period. Guidance on self-isolation is available here.

We understand that it is a challenging time for our customers. We are working to support impacted customers with a focus on those who are already overseas. We will prioritise further customer assistance according to departure dates with those travelling soonest receiving our priority. If you are not travelling immediately, we will be in contact with you and appreciate your patience during this time.

Update: 11 March 2020

We understand that many of our customers have queries and concerns regarding plans for future travel. The current COVID-10 situation is a healthy reminder that when travelling abroad, at any time, it is important to exercise common-sense, remain vigilant and stay informed. Our flyer provides additional useful tips and information to support you in your travel plans.

Update: 09 March 2020

Some countries have changed their border security policies in relation to coronavirus (COVID-19). These policies may require travellers to self-quarantine for a period of time, or deny entry to people to have travelled from or transited through certain countries and regions, or result in the closure of borders to all international travellers arriving by air or cruise ship. We encourage you to refer to Smarttraveller for latest information or speak to your travel consultant.

Update: 06 March 2020

Australians should continue to take heed of the DFAT restrictions on travel to China and Iran, and the raised advice levels for South Korea, Japan, Italy and Mongolia. No other coronavirus (COVID-19)-related restrictions apply to overseas destinations. Many airlines, touring and cruise operators have announced revised cancellation policies that should provide customers with increased confidence in continuing with existing and future travel plans to these unrestricted destinations. Please contact us in relation for advice related to your specific plans.

Update: 03 March 2020

If you have an existing booking and are considering cancellation due to the impact of coronavirus COVID-19, we urge to you consider that it could be a costly exercise. As DFAT has not restricted travel for Australians to any country except China, standard cancellation policies may apply and travel insurance may not cover you. COVID-19 is a respiratory virus, similar to the flu, and as of today 90,000 people worldwide have contracted COVID-19 with 3,000 deaths being reported. To provide some context, the flu infects around 1 billion people and is responsible for between 291,000 and 646,000 deaths each year. We believe these comparisons are worth considering before incurring cancellation costs. If you have travel within the next two months to an area of concern, please contact us.

The following resources are available to update yourself on the
latest information and potential future impacts of coronavirus COVID-19:

World Health Organisation
Click here for rolling updates in relation to the illness
Corona Virus Global Cases
Click here for a live world map outlining current cases